If there was one thing we learned from the last time Chelsea and Manchester United played each other – back in October when the teams shared just five shots on target between them – it was that we were likely to be low on goals on Sunday afternoon.
Indeed, bar a controversial VAR decision and a strong palm from David De Gea, there was very little of note on the showreel for Match Of The Day’s editors to splice up here.
A dour goalless draw, more entertaining than when these sides last met, but still the first back-to-back 0-0s in a single league season between United and Chelsea since September 1921.
Drama was thin on the ground but both managers will be pleased with how their defences performed in west London. Here, i looks at the five key displays from this most predictable of Premier League ties…
Olivier Giroud 4/10
When Thomas Tuchel looks back at this game he may well wonder why he didn’t start Timo Werner. Against a Manchester United defence that Harry Maguire commands with barking authority, having a create presence like Werner to carry the ball forwards and meet the back line head on could have unlocked this game.
But Tuchel stuck with Giroud – the go-to man when Chelsea are in need of a goal either in the Premier League or Europe. Could the 34-year-old match up against Maguire and Victor Lindelof and draw Chelsea’s midfield into the action?
Sadly for Tuchel, no. Giroud had a largely ineffectual game and in fact received possession just three times in the opposition box. He had more touches (17) in Chelsea’s half than his own (15), with the hosts struggling to make use of his presence.
Giroud was withdrawn for Christian Pulisic on 65 minutes and after that the game opened up somewhat.
David De Gea 7/10
When a goalkeeper has very little to do all day it can sometimes catch them off-guard when a shot comes in from nowhere. Thankfully for United De Gea was there to parry Hakim Ziyech’s effort just after the break and clear the danger.
De Gea has enjoyed a reasonably strong campaign between the sticks at United, especially by his standards. His career with the club has swung between periods of intense scrutiny and total obscurity. It is those latter periods that United profit from the Spaniard, when De Gea is utterly solid and commanding in his area.
It wasn’t so long ago that his mistake cost United victory over Everton and surrendered two points in the title race that Manchester City have now realistically won.
Sunday was a much better performance, one where you don’t notice the goalkeeper and when he is needed, he delivers. Chelsea never seemed likely to score.
Ben Chilwell 7/10
Much of Chelsea’s attacking threat when it wasn’t coming from the set-piece was instigated via Chilwell.
The summer signing from Leicester came into the XI as a replacement for Marcos Alonso and was a persistent issue for United down that flank.
Chilwell set up Ziyech for the best opening of the game early in the second half and was usually seen creeping into United’s half to offer an option on the whitewash.
He was booked for a swiping challenge on Mason Greenwood that had the England man clutching his ankle. It was a rare moment when Chilwell wasn’t up to speed with the game.
Fred 7/10
Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer chose to start a number of players at Stamford Bridge who would not get into most peoples’ Manchester United XI when the whole squad is fit.
Daniel James, Mason Greenwood and Fred all have players who arguably stand ahead of them in the squad. But any team that wants to challenge for league titles needs depth – and in Fred the boss is getting just that.
Fred’s season has blown hot and cold but the absence of Paul Pogba through injury means the 27-year-old has been used more than one would have expected at the start of the campaign. On Sunday he linked up well with Scott McTominay to nullify Chelsea’s supply to Giroud.
Granted, he was never going to be the one to win United the game – although a shot at the edge of the area did fly just wide. Instead Fred’s presence was enough for Chelsea to cut back or slow down play – and this was partially how the visitors stifled their hosts for so long.
Callum Hudson-Odoi 5/10
Having somehow escaped conceding a penalty for what looked like a clear-cut handball that was denied despite Stuart Attwell checking the VAR monitor, Callum Hudson-Odoi endured a mixed first half that resulted in him eventually being substituted at the break.
The winger produced a rare shot towards United’s goal after his let-off but was too often pegged back by the opposition bombing forward.
An ineffectual display, he was replaced by Reece James at the start of the second half.
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